Billy Nomates

English musician and songwriter

Billy Nomates
Billy Nomates singing onstage
Billy Nomates in 2023
Background information
Birth nameTor Maries
Also known asBilly Nomates
Born (1990-05-02) 2 May 1990 (age 33)
Leicester, England, U.K.
GenresIndie rock, no wave, post-punk
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2020–present
LabelsInvada Records
Websiteiambillynomates.com
Musical artist

Tor Maries (born 2 May 1990) is an English musician and songwriter who performs under the stage name Billy Nomates.

Life

Maries grew up in Leicester and was a member of a number of bands that failed to be noticed. Following a period of depression, a Sleaford Mods gig inspired Maries to return to making music and she moved to Bournemouth to write and compose.[1] Her stage name, Billy Nomates, was taken from an insult directed at her when she turned up at the gig on her own.[2]

Music

Billy Nomates at the Strom Club in Munich, 2023

Maries' first album was recorded in Bristol with Portishead's Geoff Barrow.[1] She released this in 2020[3] and quickly gained attention from BBC Radio 6 Music.[1] She describes her music as no wave.[2] Critics make mention of post-punk and describe her delivery as sprechgesang.[1][2] She featured on "Mork n Mindy" by Sleaford Mods in 2021. She released the Emergency Telephone EP in October 2021, produced by herself on Barrow's Invada record label.[4]

Reception

Billy Nomates at the Valkhof Festival, 2022

BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Amy Lamé chose Billy Nomates's debut as her Album of the Year in 2020.[5] The Guardian's Laura Snapes picked out Billy Nomates as one to watch in 2020, describing her voice as "deadpan yet biting", offering "an acute lens on British class structure".[1]

After playing a set at the Glastonbury Festival 2023, Billy Nomates received what she called an "insane" amount of online abuse and requested BBC Radio 6 Music to remove footage of her performance from their web pages. BBC removed it.[6] Fellow musicians, such as Billy Bragg, The Anchoress and Lonelady, expressed their support for Billy Nomates, calling out the misogynistic and sexist character of the abuse.[7]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Billy Nomates (2020)
  • Cacti (2023)

EPs

  • Emergency Telephone (2021)

Music videos

Year Title Director Album
2020 "No" Jack Joseph & Bobby Spender Billy Nomates
"FNP" n/C
2021 "Heels" Jack Joseph Dalby & Bobby Spender /
2022 "Blue Bones" Tia Salisbury Cacti
"Balance is Gone" NWSPK
"Saboteur Forcefield" John Minton
"Spite" NWSPK

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "One to watch: Billy Nomates". the Guardian. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Billy Nomates review – post-punk soloist could do with some company". the Guardian. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  3. ^ Murphy, Lauren (7 August 2020). "Billy Nomates: Billy Nomates review – One of the quirkier albums of the year". The Irish Times.
  4. ^ Pilley, Max (4 March 2021). "Billy Nomates – 'Emergency Telephone' EP review: dial into one of Britain's most distinctive new voices". NME.
  5. ^ "6 Music Recommends Albums Of The Year 2020". BBC Radio 6 Music.
  6. ^ Geraghty, Hollie (26 June 2023). "BBC removes Billy Nomates Glastonbury clip after online abuse". NME. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  7. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (24 June 2023). "Billy Bragg shares support for "brilliant" Billy Nomates after online abuse". NME. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
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